Skeletal Muscle

Tension and Metabolism

Jennifer Carbrey Ph.D.

Department of Cell Biology
 Stimulus Frequency & Tension

AP duration = 5 msec
Twitch duration = 100 msec
image by Rick Melges, Duke University
 Velocity of Shortening

Speed of shortening is related to the

amount of load
image by Rick Melges, Duke University
 Length – Tension Relationship

image by Rick Melges, Duke University

 Metabolism & Fuels
Creatine phosphate donates a phosphate to convert ADP to ATP
in the first seconds of muscle activity, 100 meter dash

Anaerobic metabolism (glycolytic) produces ATP & lactic acid

using glycolysis, Burns glucose and muscle glycogen, 400 meter
dash

Aerobic metabolism (oxidative) produces ATP, CO2 & water

using oxidative phosphorylation, Burns blood glucose & fatty
acids, marathon

Fuel sources: Glucose, glycogen, & fatty acids

moles of ATP made/min time

Creatine phosphate 4 8-10 sec
Anaerobic 2.5 1.5 min
Aerobic 1 unlimited
 Fatigue State

Contributing factors include:

1. Build up of ECF [K+] = persistent

depolarization of fiber

2. Build up of metabolites which impair SR Ca2+

ATPase & troponin-tropomyosin.

3. Buildup of Pi in ICF inhibits cross bridge

detachment & slows cross bridge cycling

4. Decrease in fuel stores (glycogen, fatty acids &

glucose)
 Fiber types
&
metabolism

Slow-oxidative resist fatigue (muscles for posture).

Fast-oxidative-glycolytic resist fatigue (muscles used in
walking).
Fast-glycolytic used for bursts of strong force
image by Rick Melges, Duke University (muscles used to jump).
 Fiber Types & Motor Units

Motor
unit 2

Motor
unit 1
Each motor unit has one type of muscle fiber.
Small motor unit (#1) has fewer fibers = finer movement
Large motor unit (#2) has more fibers = more tension
Each fascicle contains more than one motor unit.
Most skeletal muscles include all three fiber types.
 Recruitment

Slow -oxidative recruited first = low force but high precision and/or long duration.
Fast-oxidative-glycolytic recruited next = intermediate force.
Fast-glycolytic recruited last = high force tasks of short duration.
image by Rick Melges, Duke University
 Muscle Plasticity

Weight training induces hypertrophy to

generate more tension (force).

Endurance training induces resistance to fatigue

without dramatic hypertrophy.

Training changes relative size of fibers not

number of fibers
 Key Concepts

Muscles can shorten at a constant force (isotonic

contraction) or develop force without shortening (isometric
contraction). Maximal velocity of shortening occurs with
zero load. Summation of contractions (tetanus) can occur in
skeletal muscle resulting in maximal force. Speed of
contraction is set by the myosin ATPase.

The immediate fuel for muscle contraction is ATP which is

generated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Those
muscles with high requirements for ATP and resistance to
fatigue have predominantly aerobic metabolism